


Betting It All

by tangerinabina_de_archanea



Category: Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-29
Updated: 2019-03-29
Packaged: 2019-12-26 10:00:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,640
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18280850
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tangerinabina_de_archanea/pseuds/tangerinabina_de_archanea
Summary: "Money is all well and good to gamble with, but I feel like we’ve known each other long enough and well enough to up the stakes.”Or,Joshua and Gerik bet more than money.Written for the Fire Emblem Rarepair Exchange 2019.





	Betting It All

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Vault_Emblem](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Vault_Emblem/gifts).



“Heads.”

_Ting._

“Tails again.”

“Again? Really?”

“Lady Luck seems to be on my side today.”

“She’s been on your side an awful lot. You haven’t come up with a new way of cheating, have you?”

They both laughed, the sound accompanied by the sputtering of the flame in the oil lamps around the room, and the clinking of coins being pushed across the table as Gerik paid Joshua his winnings. It felt just like their old days in the army together, fighting against Grado, but at the same time, it was much different.

Joshua looked unusually resplendent in his royal robes, even if they were as plain and practical as the royal tailor was willing to make them, and as Gerik often told him, he cut a mighty fine figure as well. Gerik’s clothing had improved as well, thanks to Joshua’s seemingly unending generosity. That was something that Gerik hadn’t expected, he had to admit, that Joshua would make a habit of casually doting on him with gifts. He did appreciate their practical nature, though.

The setting was quite different as well, with the walls of Jehanna Hall around them, decorated in tapestries and brightly colored tiles with intricate designs. The room they were in had several low, square pits in the floor, each containing a small, round table surrounded by pillows and mats for reclining. No one else was there at that time of night, so Joshua and Gerik had swiped quite a few pillows from the other pits and were now reclining quite comfortable. Gerik had been used to the mercenary lifestyle, but he had quickly grown accustomed to living in the lap of luxury as well.

He had known that he would have had to in the long run regardless, because he had sworn himself to Joshua after that duel, even if it ended in a tie. However, even if he hadn’t, he couldn’t see himself wanting to leave the king’s side, and Joshua made it clear that he was more than welcome.

The nature of their relationship was unspoken, but definitely there. Gerik wasn’t the best at voicing his emotions, and most of the time, Joshua’s words couldn’t always be trusted, but Gerik knew when he was being sincere, and those moments were increasingly often. Still, Joshua was flighty about anything more than compliments when it came to words, or whispered “I love you”s from both of them as they were both drifting off to sleep.

Physicality was a different matter. Joshua was rather bold about holding Gerik’s hand, or taking his arm in his as they walked around the castle, as well as stealing small kisses in greeting or when saying goodbye. Goodnight kisses were the deepest, in the privacy of Joshua’s room. Gerik technically had his own, but he couldn’t remember the last time he had slept there. He always woke each morning with Joshua in his arms, and more often than not with his hair in his face.

They had quieted down now, allowing the faint buzz of cicadas outside to be heard. Joshua was eating a date, thoughtfully staring at nothing in particular. Gerik reached for a fig and cut it in half with an ornate dagger (one of Joshua’s many gifts) as he watched him, waiting to see if he would say anything. They stayed in comfortable silence for a moment until Joshua snapped out of it, licking the stickiness of the dates off his fingers before turning back to Gerik and pushing the money back across the table to him.

“What’s that for?” Gerik asked. “You won that, fair and square. Or were you cheating again?”

“I didn’t cheat this time, that I promise you, but I have an idea. Money is all well and good to gamble with, but I feel like we’ve known each other long enough and well enough to up the stakes.” He adjusted himself, reclining so that he was cupping the side of his face in his hand. “Don’t you?”

“Up the stakes, eh? What are you thinking?”

"We can bet anything we want. Items, favors, secrets…” He twirled a coin between his fingers as he spoke. “Anything you want.”

“I like the sound of that. At least, it’s better than me handing over all of my gold to you.”

“Ha! That’s true. Don’t think your luck will change, though.”

“We’ll see about that. I’ve got an idea. I bet… that you can’t split this fig with your sword.” He held up another fig. “If I win, I get to braid your hair. I’m sick and tired of waking up with a mouthful of it every morning.”

“You could have just asked,” Joshua laughed. “But it’s more fun this way. Let’s see… if I win, you have to grow your hair out.”

“Fair enough, but you know that now I have to win.”

“Come on, I think you’d look nice with long hair!”

“If you want it that badly, you better focus.” He picked up a fig and tossed it upwards a few times, testing its weight. “I think this will work. Ready your sword.” Joshua did so, and Gerik tossed the fruit towards him. There was a rush of air as Joshua swung, and a heavy _thump_ as the still whole fig landed and rolled behind him. “What was that about my luck not changing?” Gerik asked, smirking.

“Oh, hush. A deal’s a deal. Get over here.” He turned so that Gerik could have better access to his hair, and Gerik moved closer. “Quick question- do you even know how to braid?”

“I can braid rope. Hair isn’t that much different, is it?”

“Oh, gods preserve me,” Joshua groaned dramatically, before both started laughing. As Gerik combed through his hair with his fingers, Joshua leaned into his touch and started playing with a coin again. “How about another bet, while we try this? Pick heads or tails, and the loser has to tell a secret, one that they’ve never told anyone.”

“Tails,” Gerik said, starting to section his hair off into three pieces. “What am I supposed to do with all these short bits?”

“I don’t know. I’ve never braided my whole head before, just small strands.”

“And you’re getting on my case for not knowing how?” Gerik laughed and shook his head.

“At least I’ve braided _some_ hair. I’ll take heads.” He flipped the coin. “It’s heads.”

“Is it now? Well, looks like I get to talk.”

“Indeed. I’m looking forward to hearing it.”

“I’m sure you are. Let’s see… something I’ve never told anyone… I know. Remember that duel that we had?”

“How could I forget? It’s what kept you with me.” He reached back and patted Gerik’s cheek. “And I’m very lucky that it has. I don’t know what I’d do without you.”

“Don’t be so sure that it’s the only thing keeping me here.” Gerik paused in his braiding to kiss Joshua’s cheek. “Here’s my secret. I could have won that duel, if I wanted to. There was one point where your footing was incorrect, and I could have easily knocked you down.”

“I remember that. I always wondered why you didn’t take advantage of that… That’s no secret, Gerik.”

“I’m not done yet. I purposefully avoided that, because I wanted to come with you. I didn’t want to lose either, though, so I made sure that we tied.”

“You sly dog! Here I was, thinking that I barely got lucky enough to keep you at my side, and you were planning it all along… Although, I must admit, that’s very sweet. And very like you, too. You just couldn’t lose, could you?”

“Of course not. I do have some pride, you know.” He tied off the braid, then flipped it over Joshua’s shoulder. “What do you think?”

“Messy, but good enough.” He turned and gave him a kiss on the cheek, then leaned back into his embrace. “Here’s a bet. I bet you won’t kiss me for real, right here, right now. Nothing soft or quick. Kiss me like you mean it. If you don’t… you have to take out the braid. I’ll tell you a secret if you do.”

“Well, I’m definitely not letting all that hard work go to waste.” He tilted Joshua’s head and kissed him deeply. They weren’t sure how long they stayed that way, locked in each other’s arms, never breaking their kiss for more than a moment to catch their breath. When they finally did stop, they laid in silence for a while, with Joshua’s head resting on Gerik’s chest, listening to his heartbeat.

Finally, Joshua broke the silence. “I said I would tell you a secret.”

“That you did.”

“I… don’t feel as if I’m ready to rule Jehanna still. I really don’t. I know, I’ve said that I’ve learned the hearts of my people, but… There’s a difference between knowing them and governing them.”

“You’re doing just fine as king.”

“Still, I feel like I could do better… I know, though, that I can’t do it alone. I really can’t. You’ve done so much for me, Gerik.”

“It’s because I love you.”

“I love you too.” He was quiet for a moment. “I have another bet. Pick heads or tails, and whoever loses has to answer a question truthfully.”

“Alright. Tails again.”

Joshua flipped the coin and caught it on the back of his hand, but when he pulled his hand away, there was a ring instead of a coin. “Looks like it’s heads.”

“Joshua, what-?”

“That means you have to answer a question truthfully, right?” Joshua turned and held the ring out to Gerik. “So, Gerik… would you do me the honor of making me the happiest man in the world and marry me?”

In response, Gerik pulled him into another kiss. When they broke away, he whispered “Yes.”    


End file.
